This site is a blog about what has been coasting through my consciousness lately. The things I post will be reflections that I see of the world around me. You may not agree with me or like what I say. In either case – you’ll get over it and I can live with it if it makes you unhappy. Please feel free to leave comments if you wish . All postings are: copyright 2014 – 2019

“Hang On, Lupe. Lupe, Hang On”

HANG ON LUPE! LUPE, HANG ON!

I know, I know, that’s not how the old song by the McCoys goes. For my purposes today however that is how it’s going to play.

We are down in Texas right now making our Spring visit to family. Dawn wants to spend some quality time with her Mother who is 98 and has a strong heart. At 98 she now has 24 hour Home Health Care, but still needs her family around her. Her two sons and daughters-in-law live just a few streets away and are very attentive to their Momma’s needs, but there is nothing like having her baby daughter coming down from Indiana for a visit. I come along too.

When you hit 98 years old you are not up to doing all the household chores that you took care of when you were younger, say…75. That is where “Lupe” comes into the picture.

For the last 15 years or so “Lupe” has come to the house every Monday morning and turns into a whirling dervish of house cleaning.

Lupe will vacuum every carpet or rug.

Lupe will mop every floor that is not carpeted or covered by a rug.

Lupe will wash or dust every surface.

Lupe will put everything that looks out of place back where it belongs.

I have literally been chased from room to room by Lupe. It was either haul my butt to another room or be given a serious cleaning.

Lupe don’t mess around. Lupe means business, but she smiles her way through it all. She even laughs if she is coming at you with her broom in hand.

When it is Monday morning and I know that Lupe is in her way I get up and dressed early. I grab some quick breakfast and get my days worth of meds put together and stashed in my pocket. The last time we were here at Christmas I was a bit pokey and left my morning meds on the kitchen counter wrapped up in a Kleenex. I turned my head and Whoosh! they disappeared. Lupe had tidied up right in front of me. When she wasn’t looking I salvaged my meds from the kitchen trash. I learned my lesson.

It is Monday? I get my meds sorted out and hidden on my person. I don’t think that Lupe will frisk me.

Lupe is very reliable. Monday is Monday. This past Holiday Season both Christmas Eve and New Years Eve fell on a Monday. At 8 AM Lupe was at the door and raring to go. I wasn’t going to stop her. I didn’t need dusting.

Lupe comes here every Monday. There are a bunch of other days in the week and Lupe does not let them fall idle. She has a family to support after all.

I have a great deal of admiration, respect, and a healthy mountain of awe for Lupe. After all, I don’t

think that I could do all that she does every day. She is strong, with a work ethic that the Marine Corps would admire.

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John Kraft is a writer living and working in Terre Haute, Indiana. He moved to the Midwest after 25 years in California where he worked as an actor, comedian, voice-over actor, as well as a writer. He now enjoys a saner pace of life with his wife, Dawn, who tries to keep him from embarrassing himself in public.
Perhaps I should explain the title of this blog: Down the Hall on Your Left.
My name is John. People are always asking where they can find "The John." My answer is: "Down the Hall on Your Left."